Posted on 07/24/2025 9:58:40 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
An old Sumerian myth that had been forgotten for centuries has resurfaced once again, according to a study published by Dr. Jana Matuszak in the journal Iraq. The tablet upon which the myth is inscribed is Ni 12501 and dates back to around 2400 BCE, during the Early Dynastic IIIb period. It was discovered in Nippur in the 19th century. While incomplete, the text is remarkable in featuring a narrative with the Sumerian storm god Iškur, better known for his role in bringing rain, who is captured and taken to the netherworld or Kur. His fate, as offered here, becomes the object of a divine rescue mission, led not by a powerful god but by the cunning figure of the Fox.
While the tablet had also been visible on the dust jacket of Samuel Noah Kramer's 1956 book From the Tablets of Sumer, its museum number was omitted and wasn't revealed for five years... Dr. Matuszak's new analysis is the first full publication and translation of this extraordinary text.
The myth begins with Iškur in a fertile landscape, surrounded by rivers full of fish and multicolored cattle herds. This idyllic setting is shattered when he and his herd are captured by the Kur. For revenge, Enlil -- his father and one of the major gods of the Sumerian pantheon -- calls the divine assembly and requests that the gods, the Anunnaki, retrieve his son. Only the Fox steps forward.
The Fox enters the netherworld and cleverly receives food and drink offered to him but hides them away rather than consuming them, a trick which allows him to journey through the dangerous realm. Unfortunately, the tale breaks off here, so it's unknown whether or not he succeeds.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeologymag.com ...
I remember reading that book in the 1970’s. Eugene, Or, home of the U of O, had a very good public library.
I saw what you did there... :)
Seriously? Priorities? That totally sucks. He ahould have respected his fans enough to complete the series, especially after they supported him through the first 9 tablets. What a jerk.
😆
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